When you book a vacation rental through Airbnb or Vrbo, you're paying significant service fees on top of the nightly rate. Booking directly with the property owner eliminates these fees and puts money back in your pocket.
Airbnb charges guests a service fee of 14-16% on top of the nightly rate. Vrbo charges 6-12%. On a $1,500 cabin stay, that's $90-$240 in fees that go directly to the platform — not to improving your experience.